New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-08-21
OPPOSITION TO POWDERLY.
KNIGHTS DETERMINED TO GUST HIM.
ANTI-ADMINIsTR ATIoN DELEGATES ELECTED TO THE
MINNEAPOLIs CONVENTION.


sweepnp over the country rresisb.y for the last two
weeks in the elections OF delegates to the Minneapolis
Convention has ought CONSERVATION and terror INTO
every stronghold of the reigring administration Oh
the ORDER and nowhere 30 noticeably as INTO tne
general headquarters in this city Tue wave mas noo
been restricted in its progress to any particular Deis
sections. but the contrary 1T has been generai
and overv heming Nothing like 1t has ever been
known before within the order, and the result Is as
may and confusion to Mr.. Pow DERBY and his col
leagues Heretofore they had entertained the benef
that the disaiection in the order was oniy sporaoc
and consequently nsgnifcsntand hence their surprise
seeing every big and influential district assembly In
the country elect DISQUALIFICATION delegates to
Minneapolis can well be imagined. They are appre-
hensve, 1t Is said that their course is about rum ana
accordingly straining every nerve TO ward on the
impending calamity. Everywhere a square issue Is
being Joined at the district assembly elections be.
tween the adherents and the opponents OF the ad-
mnistration, and the result, at least IN the large
Cities has thus TAR teen almost uniformly disastrous
to the administration.
The most significant feature of this popular uprising
is that several of the general officers themselves
heretofore always delegates 20 a General Assembly
have been defeated outright, anticipating defeat,
have prudently withdrawn their names as candidates
Tor election delegates. General Treasurer Fred
erck Turner, who is regarded as fairly popular out
side has been ANONYMOUSLY downed by DIST ict
Assembly No. l in this city; likewise James A
Wright, asrrant for position on the General
Board. John w. HAYES of New Brunswick, NJ D., Ira
B. Aylesworth, OF Baltimore. and William fl. Bailey,
of shawnee Ohio, all members OF the General Board,
tearing like DISASTER have reirained from running
as candidates in their respective districts. IL Is
asserted that L. b. Mcclure and his followers in the
Home Club and District Assembly 10 40, OF New
York. dreading complete tOut, have STAYED OF the
election in their district to the latest possible
moment; but the election there. as IN all other dis
trics must by their law be held before August %,
and the music must be faced. All these oncers who
have been deprived OF their seats IN the General
Assembly ms still enter that body in the capacity OF
ex-delegates, and speak as such on the floor OF the
venton, but they cannot vote anu their standing
otherw 80 IN the convention is necessarily lowered
In this city District Assembly No l, the old re-
liable mixed d strict the first in the order and one IN
which tho General Board place great relian &c, has
chosen three antladministraton delegates aud one
administration while Shoemakers District
Assembly No. 20, Leather Workers No ga, Carpet
Workers No. 126, and Textile Workers No. loo, al.o
of this city, have all chosen solid delegations com
poeed OF active and Incorporating anti adminsra'
florists Leather Workers No. 81, OF Newark, y. j.,
will shortly elect similar delegation, Car Drivers
No 10 of New-YOrk and Brooklyn, has already
selected anti administration contingent III Is con-
deny expected by the Leaders OF the opp9siton here
that 40. 40, OF Ncw-lork, will also send to Mime
apolis solid pnaauS hostile to the reiSnng powers.
Out OF the delegates selected by No 80, OF Massa-
chuseIts i've will favor aud i've will oppose the pres
ent administration The recent elections In Nos. "A
81, OF Chicago, and in Other cities OF the west
show the same drit OF feeling in that section.
This great OF opposition is attributable chiefly
to the overt and continued encroachments on tue
liberties OF the order by he general officers since the
last Geurral Assembly which met at Richmond, and
especially to their hostile attitude toward trades
unions and such crafts clamOr after permission TO
from National trade assemblies. ms hosuy OF the
general officers caused by their determination to
their control OF the order which could not De
done II the various trades were allowed TO manage
their affairs separate districts by themselves.
But un ortunatey the policy which tho general officers
have pursued retain their power has rated I'M
measuraby toward bringing about the very conditions
I ..,.th av tttfrlf IN 90
to the trade union idea has endangered counter OPP
position toward themselves on the par: OF the trades
assembly advocates which may unsea them altOgeti er
from their positions This issue VIII be fought OUT
to the finish at the MINNEAPOLIS Convention. That
the present general officers, or az least considerable
! nnmoer OF them, will be overthrow at that session
seems 10 be unavoidable Judging from present ndea-
tions. II may transpre that Nessrs. nayes, Lchman,
! Turner Bailey, AyleswOrth add 3c6ure alone may
be made to suffer the hrunt Of the attack, and that
! Mr. PoMderly together with Me-srs Carlton and
| B1rrv will be retained But there is doubt that
| Mr. Powderly ardently supports and will in future
support both Hayes end LitcnmaD and thus tact may
| contribute TO his own overthrow. All the general
officers have been elected tor term of two years and
they cannot be depo-ed at Minnea oils only ON the
ground that the proceedings of the Richmond Conyen-
tic H. ~ which the term OF office was extended, were
unconstitutional A. all events, there Is no DOUBT
that either 4 complete and radical transformation viii
be Erough in the construction OF the order, or that 1T
1 will suffer extinction.
TIE leading spirits in the opposition party men
OF prominence and acknowledged al ity in the labor
! moyemeut and include such workers as George l..
y iliIan, II. Barrett. of this city; w c. Mullen of
Richmond. ana James r. Buchanan, OF Chicago They
are all in close communication it'll another and
with their supporters will act nnbrOken unit IN
conducting the campaign tor the purihcauon of the
| order at Minneapolis neat October.
That Mr.. Puwdery and hls General Executive
Board keenly ALE to the danger of their situation
is apparent from the uneasness that prevails among
the attaches at the general headquarters here at No
| SD North Broad-st.. and from Mr. POwderly' en-
deavor to concIate the most powerful enemies OF the
administration. Mr.. POwdery already complains at
! the min a. held rcnDO
policy OF the present BOard Of which he is chairman
iIe has eompeiled General Secretary Ilchmau Editor
OF The journal OF United Labor" TO discontinue
publishing the lists OF a" authorized labor papers
meeting with the approval OF the General Board,
which occasOned so much indignation among The more
lberalminded editors whose journals were Intention
ally omitted Mr.. Powaerly claims that he, although
the huad and chief Of the great organization should
be held accountable only for bis individual votes
| in the deliberations OF the General Board, and he
ntmates that the course followed by several OF the
members OF the Board has been contrary to his own
and convictions and that he was powerless to
change it. Accordingly he contends that the General
! Master Workman should be accorded the privilege of
choosing his cabinet or General Executive Board,
and thus be enabled 10 surround himself with men OF
his own style OF thinking. BY this method. he says,
the Inconsistencies and discrepancies OF policy that
have marked the record of the General Board would
be avoided and unity OF purpose and action pre-
served.
Mr.. Powdcrly announces that he will advocate this
plan nj Mnnes polIs. BY doing ht will him -elt
draw the lines OF issue which cannot but result IN
his downfall and that OF those associated with
| him tor the democratic element in the order, which
largely predominaes IN point OF numbers will never
consent to the introduction If such system should
the anadminIst Onists win. they probably will,
they will lose time in setting aside the cOnsti-
tuition, together with the obDoXious regulations
! corning the formation OF National trade assemblies
The new constitution is bound TO furnish material
| for a long fight in the convention.
The Carpet Viewers District Assembly No 1875,
| which expelled and bOycotted by the General
Board last May the grOund of nsubordnation will
make lively contest for reinstatement AMI all the
other trades districts IN the country Will rally TO it's
support.
STRIKERS APPEAL TO EMPLOYERS FOR AID.
PITrsBURG, Aug. 20 (Speedh.The spectacle OF body
of strikers appealing to manufacturers for financial
assistance Is a novel one District Master Workman